Arsenal players must prove their worth more than ever
By Kian Long
Arsenal players may be worried about Arsenal’s new managerial appointment, but they shouldn’t be.
Over the years, Arsene Wenger has been known for giving Arsenal players too many chances to prove themselves. This will all change, obviously, under a new manager. Depending on how strict the new manager is, there are a few Arsenal stars who won’t be given an easy ride.
Players like Jack Wilshere and Petr Cech, to name just two, won’t be given an easy ride just because of their stature. They will be judged on what they can bring to the side, and how well they can adapt to the new manager’s philosophy.
If you take Jurgen Klopp for example, he doesn’t care too much about the big names. That’s because big names will only bring you sponsorship deals, not trophies. He signed players like Andrew Robertson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mohamed Salah because he thought they would suit his system, not because of their stature.
Here’s hoping the new manager will adopt a similar approach. There is a number of Arsenal players who have been too reliant on Wenger’s trust over the years, while not providing much back in return.
Players like Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will all be looking at this with eagle eyes, as an opportunity to become key players, if they aren’t already.
Arsenal are in dire need of a manager who can come in and not stand for any nonsense. A manager like Massimiliano Allegri would be perfect for the Gunners, as he would drill the Arsenal players into fighting for their name on the team sheet.
There are players on the rise like Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Reiss Nelson. One would feel they will be given an easier chance, but it doesn’t mean they should count themselves out. If they impress the boss more than the likes of Wilshere or Laurent Koscielny, then who is to say they can’t establish themselves as first team regulars?
Related Story: Debunking the Mesut Ozil myth: Are Arsenal too reliant?
Which of the Arsenal players do you feel will have the hardest time impressing the new manager?